Overview
An opportunity has arisen to join a friendly, patient-focused and forward-thinking team in a beautiful part of the Country. The appointee will provide a comprehensive, efficient, and cost-effective clinical microbiology, virology and infection prevention and control service to Wye Valley NHS Trust and other users of the service. This is a full-time Consultant Microbiologist post (10 programmed activities) for Wye Valley NHS Trust (WVT), increasing the consultant establishment to 3.6 wte. WVT is exploring a network with Worcestershire; there is currently a microbiology laboratory on site at WVT. The ICD role is for WVT only.
Candidates must be GMC registered medical practitioners or, if applying as a consultant clinical scientist, HCPC registered. It is expected that the appointee will hold the FRCPath or MRCP or show evidence of equivalent training and experience.
Responsibilities
Main duties include direct clinical care (DCC) and proactive liaison with consultant colleagues, other hospital staff, medical microbiology colleagues and lead respiratory physicians for tuberculosis management, GPs, and the antimicrobial pharmacist. The sexual health service is outsourced to a private provider. There is a 0.5 wte antimicrobial pharmacist and an antimicrobial pharmacist technician supports this post.
The consultant microbiologists share clinical duties. There is an ITU ward round daily. The consultant microbiologists attend MDTs for TB and NTM (3 monthly), prosthetic joint infections (monthly), and OPAT (weekly) with pharmacy and community nurses. The consultant in charge of the patient retains clinical responsibility. A multidisciplinary clinic for patients with infected diabetic foot ulcers runs fortnightly. The antimicrobial stewardship lead attends the Medicines Safety Committee; chairs the six-month Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee and meets monthly with the antimicrobial stewardship team. The head of department attends pathology board. The appointee will take an appropriate share of departmental commitments aligned with interests and expertise.
Infection prevention and control
The infection prevention team includes a lead nurse (Band 8a, 1.0 wte), two deputies (Band 7, 0.8 wte each) and 3 wte band 6 infection prevention nurses; the DIPC is the Director of Nursing. There are two band 4 administrative roles (0.4 wte) supporting the team. The budget holder is the lead infection prevention nurse and the ICD is deputy chair of the infection prevention committee. There are 4 PAs for the ICD role provided to WVT. The ICD attends the decontamination committee, the infection prevention committee, the cleanliness and food safety committee, the water management group, the PFI performance management group and the Herefordshire and Worcestershire-wide HCAI forum. The apportionment and possible rotation of roles will be decided with the existing medical staff. There are opportunities for teaching and participation in a weekly hospital Grand Round.
Applicants must have: Full GMC registration, MBBS/MBChB or equivalent, and MRCPath or HCPC registration or MRCP/equivalent; CCT or equivalent in Infectious Diseases.
About us
Wye Valley NHS Trust is part of a NHS Foundation Group with South Warwickshire NHS FT, the George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust and Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. Located on the border with Wales in Herefordshire and near Powys, the Trust provides acute and community services across Herefordshire and into parts of Powys. The post holder will travel between sites as required. The Trust is committed to quality and integrated patient pathways through collaboration with partners. Over 3,500 staff describe it as a great place to work with good work–life balance and opportunities for development.
We value care, accountability, respect and excellence. Our aim is to provide the right care in the right place at the right time, all the time.
Details
Date posted: 29 August 2025
Pay scheme: Hospital medical and dental staff
Grade: Consultant
Salary: £105,504 to £139,882 a year (10 programmed changes)
Contract: Locum
Duration: 12 months
Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working
Reference number: 229-CS-PH-7433807
Job locations: Pathology Department - Microbiology, Stonebow Road, Hereford, HR1 2BN
Job description and responsibilities
Please refer to attachments and summary below.
Clinical practice and liaison
Timely clinical liaison in response to blood cultures/critical specimen results and clinician requests is expected. GUM is outsourced with no clinical input from WVT. The consultants in infection share clinical duties. There is an ITU ward round daily. A Clinical Scientist/Higher Specialist Scientist trainee also supports the department. There is a 0.5 wte antimicrobial pharmacist, supported by an antimicrobial pharmacist technician. The AMS program is under development, including new antibiotic/infection guidelines, enhanced AMS activities and a penicillin allergy de-labelling initiative.
The consultants in infection attend several MDTs: TB and NTM (with respiratory physicians, 3 monthly); prosthetic joint infection/revision meeting (monthly); OPAT (weekly) with podiatry, community nursing and pharmacy; diabetic foot infection clinic (fortnightly) with podiatry, orthopaedic foot surgeons, diabetes specialist and vascular team; Clostridioides difficile round (weekly).
The appointee will share departmental commitments. The antimicrobial stewardship lead attends the Medicines Safety Committee, chairs the 6-month Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee and meets monthly with the AMS team. The head of department attends pathology board.
Infection prevention and control
The infection prevention team comprises a lead nurse (1.0 wte Band 8a), two deputies (Band 7, 0.8 wte each) and 3 wte Band 6 infection prevention nurses; the DIPC is the Director of Nursing. Two Band 4 administrators (0.4 wte) support the team. The budget holder is the lead infection prevention nurse. The ICD is deputy chair of the infection prevention committee. There are 4 PAs for the ICD role. The ICD attends the decontamination committee, infection prevention committee, cleanliness and food safety committee, water management group, PFI performance management group and the Herefordshire and Worcestershire-wide HCAI forum. The apportionment and rotation of roles will be decided with the existing medical staff. Teaching opportunities are available, including for junior medical staff, students and our Higher Specialist Scientist trainee, plus a weekly hospital Grand Round.
Applicants must have: GMC registration; MBBS/MBChB or equivalent; MRCPath or HCPC registration; MRCP or equivalent; CCT or equivalent in Infectious Diseases.
Disclosure and sponsorship and UK registration
This post may be subject to standard checks and sponsorship requirements for UK work; see the full advert for details. Applicants must have current UK professional registration. See NHS Careers for more information.
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is required under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975. This post may require submission to DBS.
Employer: Wye Valley NHS Trust, Pathology Department - Microbiology, Stonebow Road, Hereford, HR1 2BN. Website: https://www.wyevalley.nhs.uk/
#J-18808-Ljbffr